Torchietti Luce with Zucchini and Stridoli or Strigoli

During this period, wandering around farmers' markets is wonderful, because from the farmers you discover unknown plants, unusual vegetables, wild herbs, now forgotten!

Saturday was a beautiful sunny day, and I knew I'd find some precious gems at my favorite market! Although the uneven and cold weather of the past few months had delayed some crops, at one of my trusted farmers I found the first zucchini (the light green ones, firmer and less watery) and stridoli or strigoli, an herb I'd never tasted. The botanical name of stridoli is Silene vulgaris, and they've been known since ancient times for their delicious flavor and grow almost everywhere in our country. Recent studies have shown that stridoli also have interesting nutritional properties, providing a good amount of vitamin C, a high quantity of mineral salts and polyphenols, and important fatty acids such as oleic, linoleic (omega-6), and linolenic (omega-3) acids. To preserve the unsaturated fatty acids, it's best to eat them raw or cook them quickly, without subjecting them to excessive temperatures.

Today's dish is born from the union of tradition, spontaneity, and authenticity, which is why I chose Torchietti di Luce, a pasta created with a unique blend of 9 ancient grains, perfect for pairing with wild herbs!

A simple, quick, fresh pasta dish, excellent for eating right away and delicious when enjoyed cold, also ideal for lunch on the go!

• 150g Torchietti Luce
• 1 light green or trumpet-type courgette
• 1 red spring onion
• 1 tablespoon pitted Taggiasca olives
• 3 tablespoons cooked black chickpeas
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt me
• 2-3 soaked dried tomatoes

Prepare the ingredients (Photo_1)

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt, and add the pasta. Cook for the time indicated on the package.

Meanwhile, clean the vegetables: finely chop the spring onion, the courgette into cubes or diamonds of about 1.5cm, the olives and cherry tomatoes with a knife, remove the toughest part of the stridoli and keep the leaves.

Sauté the spring onion with extra virgin olive oil and water, add the courgettes, chickpeas, olives, and cherry tomatoes, and sauté for a few minutes.

Add the pasta, season with salt and pepper, and toss in the pan, adding a little of the cooking water if necessary. (Photo_2)

Finally, with the heat off, add the stridoli, lightly chopped with a knife. (Photo_3).

Plate, garnish with chopped pistachios and a few pink peppercorns for a fresh and spicy note (Photo_4) … Bon Appetit!

For any clarification on the recipe you can write to me on my Ratatuja page.